Part 17 (2/2)
”Gladly”
As soon as Pinocchio went into the stable, he spied a little Donkey lying on a bed of straw in the corner of the stable He orn out fro time, he said to himself: ”I know that Donkey! I have seen hi low over him, he asked: ”Who are you?”
At this question, the Donkey opened weary, dying eyes and answered in the saue: ”I am Lamp-Wick”
Then he closed his eyes and died
”Oh, my poor Lamp-Wick,” said Pinocchio in a faint voice, as he wiped his eyes with soround
”Do you feel so sorry for a little donkey that has cost you nothing?” said the Farood money for him?”
”But, you see, he was my friend”
”Your friend?”
”A class out laughing ”What! You had donkeys in your school? How you must have studied!”
The Marionette, ashalass of milk returned to his father
Froot up everyand went to the farlass of warer and better day by day But he was not satisfied with this He learned to make baskets of reeds and sold them With the money he received, he and his father were able to keep fro chair, strong and coht, sunny days
In the evening the Marionette studied by laht hi, and with that he learned to read in a very short ti stick at one end of which he had whittled a long, fine point Ink he had none, so he used the juice of blackberries or cherries Little by little his diligence was rewarded He succeeded, not only in his studies, but also in his work, and a day caether to keep his old father coreat amount of fifty pennies With it he wanted to buy hioing to the market place to buy myself a coat, a cap, and a pair of shoes When I come back I'll be so dressed up, you will think I am a rich man”
He ran out of the house and up the road to the village, laughing and singing Suddenly he heard his na around to see whence the voice ca out of sonize me?” said the Snail
”Yes and no”
”Do you remember the Snail that lived with the Fairy with Azure Hair? Do you not reave you so,” cried Pinocchio ”Answer me quickly, pretty Snail, where have you left iven me? Does she remember me? Does she still love me? Is she very far away fro out one after another, the Snail answered, cal ill in a hospital”
”In a hospital?”
”Yes, indeed She has been stricken with trouble and illness, and she hasn't a penny left hich to buy a bite of bread”
”Really? Oh, how sorry I am! My poor, dear little Fairy! If I had a million I should run to her with it! But I have only fifty pennies Here they are I was just going to buy soive theood Fairy”
”What about the new clothes?”
”What does that s I have on to help her more Go, and hurry Come back here within a couple of days and I hope to have more money for you! Until today I have worked for my father Now I shall have to work for my mother also Good-by, and I hope to see you soon”
The Snail, an to run like a lizard under a summer sun
When Pinocchio returned home, his father asked him: ”And where is the new suit?”
”I couldn't find one to fit ht, Pinocchio, instead of going to bed at ten o'clock waited until ht baskets, he made sixteen
After that he went to bed and fell asleep As he slept, he drea, and happy, who kissed him and said to hiive you for all your old ood care of their parents when they are old and sick, deserve praise even though they ood behavior Keep on doing so well, and you will be happy”
At that very moment, Pinocchio awoke and opened wide his eyes
What was his surprise and his joy when, on looking hier a Marionette, but that he had become a real live boy! He looked all about him and instead of the usual walls of straw, he found himself in a beautifully furnished little roo, he ju near There, he found a new suit, a new hat, and a pair of shoes
As soon as he was dressed, he put his hands in his pockets and pulled out a little leather purse on which ritten the folloords: The Fairy with Azure Hair returns fifty pennies to her dear Pinocchio with many thanks for his kind heart
The Marionette opened the purse to find the old coins!
Pinocchio ran to the ht face of a tall boy looked at him ide-awake blue eyes, dark brown hair and happy, s lips
Surrounded by soHe rubbed his eyes two or three ti if he were still asleep or awake and decided he must be awake
”And where is Father?” he cried suddenly He ran into the next rooht, spick and span in his new clothes and gay as a lark in theHe was once more Mastro Geppetto, the wood carver, hard at work on a lovely picture fra it with flowers and leaves, and heads of animals
”Father, Father, what has happened? Tell me if you can,” cried Pinocchio, as he ran and jue in our house is all your doing, my dear Pinocchio,” answered Geppetto
”What have I to do with it?”
”Just this When bad boys becoay and neith happiness”
”I wonder where the old Pinocchio of wood has hidden himself?”
”There he is,” answered Geppetto And he pointed to a large Marionette leaning against a chair, head turned to one side, ars twisted under hi look, Pinocchio said to hireat content: ”How ridiculous I was as a Marionette! And how happy I am, now that I have become a real boy!”